Peter’s Story

It was our founder’s early travels that fired his imagination and inspired him to introduce pizza to the UK. Fresh out of university and with his National Service behind him, Peter travelled and worked his way across Europe, through France, Germany and Switzerland, settling eventually in Rome.

Not one to shy away from rolling up his sleeves, Peter worked as a reporter for the Associated Press and even sold postcards from a barrow in St. Peter’s Square. It was this entrepreneurial spirit, and his passion for all things Italian that still lie at the heart of what was to become PizzaExpress.

On his return to the UK, Peter was shocked to discover that, unlike in Italy, great tasting pizza was nowhere to be found - and that’s how the idea was born. Peter was determined to bring the spirit and taste of an Italian pizzeria to England.

He chose vibrant Soho for what was, at the time, a radical venture. And it paid off. As the restaurant opened its doors, everyone from fashionable Londoners to the man in the street flocked to get a slice.

Many restaurants later, Peter is still central to PizzaExpress. The care and attention he put into the food and ambiance are still principles that we live by today.